Portable electronic devices, such as Apple's Iphone®, various generations of Apple's iPad® (including iPad 2®, etc.), Samsung's Galaxy® or Galaxy series tablets, tablets, Android® tablets, tablet PCs, smart phones, other touch-panel devices, digital cameras, camcorders, e-readers, various generations of Kindle®, various generations of Nook®, and many other devices, are becoming more and more popular and have wide varieties of applications. Some of the applications may require a device to operate under conditions or in environments that may increase the possibility of physical impacts, water/moisture/dust damages, temperature effects, etc. The operating or environmental conditions may therefore affect portable electronic devices' reliability and operability. Thus, a measure to provide some level of shock/drop/impact-, water-, dust-, and/or chemical-resistance and/or other forms of protection is desired to protect a portable electronic device or improve its operability or reliability under various operating conditions.
Moreover, many commercially available cases for protecting electronic devices may offer some level of protections, with some of them conforming to the IPX5 water-resistance standard defined in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) document No. 60529. Generally, cases that conform to the IPX5 water-resistance standard may be limited to protection of the enclosed devices against water jets of specific circumstances. For example, the cases may protect the enclosed device against water projected at all angles through a 6.3 mm nozzle at a flow rate of 12.5 liters/minute and a pressure of 30 kPa for at least 3 minutes from a distance of 3 meters. But the cases might not protect operating conditions different from those.
Some cases, while providing protections above the IPX5 standard, may have large dimensions, turning portable devices into a bulky and less-convenient alternative. Some other cases prevent the operations of portable electronic devices when enclosed, making underwater or other operations impossible.
Therefore, it may be desirable to provide protective casings that may offer one or more of water-resistance, operability of devices, underwater operations, impact absorption, enhanced structural strength, and acceptable dimensions or portability.